You Don’t Mess with the Zohan Review: In You Don’t Mess with the Zohan, Zohan is an Israeli agent, he’s superfly, moves like a butterfly and stings like a bee. But despite his superhero like abilities and success, he feels there just has to be more to life, he wants to become a hairstylist. So he does. He goes to America, and after struggling, he is befriended and offered lodgings, and is offered work in a hair salon. Many events ensue afterwards, some in a coherent, structured sequence of events that have a direction, some that make absolutely no sense whatsoever. But isn’t that life.

However, beneath a lot of silly humour it appears Sandler had something more to say in You Don’t Mess with the Zohan. A prominent theme is middle eastern people co-existing in peace, many of the characters came to America to escape a life torn by war, and there are more than a few unsubtle allusions to the concept that two sides hurt each other while a party with an interest in such a conflict reaps the rewards, make of that what you will. Its a pleasing and probably ambitious sentiment to put forward that Israeli’s and Palestinians can live as brothers, and are not really different.

Overall, You Don’t Mess with the Zohan is not a standout film, its not something to take too seriously, it has its amusing moments, and has a worthwhile message, I just can’t help feeling it didn’t take too much effort to write/film. If you’re a Sandler fan it’ll be on your shelf for sure, if you’re not, it may well do, just right at the back, for you to stumble upon when you need a quick laugh.